Any reputable radar detector/laser jammer installer in Southern Cali (San Diego)?

[pjhz21c]

Hello guys,

Do you guys know of any reputable radar detector/ laser jammer custom installer in Sounthern California region? (closer to San Diego, the better..but willing to travel some if the shop is good)

One shop is quoting me $2800 just for the installation(labor).. and I think its crazy!

Is this the normal price of the installation of these units?

Thanks in advance!

 

[STS-134]

The price will depend largely on how much custom work they do. I got a quote from one shop around $7000-9000. They were going to make custom mounting brackets for everything, they'll make a custom license plate frame to contain the jammer heads (if you want the heads near the plate) and cut the bumper to recess the heads into the frame so they don't stick out, they'll make custom interior panels to hold the controls for the jammers/detectors, etc.

The low quote was around $500 from a shop that would use the existing mounting brackets and double sided tape to mount the jammer heads.

I ended up going with a shop that quoted me around $700. They did a pretty good job putting the control set below the instrument panel, with the wires hidden (removed the dash to run the wires). Personally I think going with custom mounting brackets for a laser jammer is overkill, especially because this stuff gets outdated every 3-5 years and must be replaced.

It all depends on what type of work you want done though.

 

[OpenRoad]

Welcome to the club.

Installs in CA tend to be high, base price $500 and up from there. Las Vegas has shops that will do it for half that, and do a good job.

Al and Ed's in Huntington Beach - that's a stretch from SD though. (as is LV).

I know someone who *may* install them for you - he installed my units and he lives in San Diego. Did a great job. Let me ping him and check back later.

 

[pjhz21c]

Thank you so much for helping!

 

[alarmx]

First off welcome to the forum. Second, installation really is not that hard. If you ever installed a car stereo as a kid you can do this. Even if you haven't you can learn, just spend some time in the show off your install section and ask questions. Unless your in a hurry and have money to burn.

 

[Chrislorl]

Holy cow batman, I need to move to CA and open an install shop. It's not the price (well it is) but the fact that people would pay that.... WOW...
You guys would be surprised at how many shops tell me they install jammers when I ask at Trade shows, then I ask "what type of gun do you test your install with?". Only one has told me they have a gun.... So how do the rest know they installed it properly and it works???
Qualify your installer, ask about testing, previous installs, even a few key questions about the install you can learn here. Remember you only need to know one more thing then the other guy to be an expert.

As said above the install really is not that difficult in most cases, if you do a little reading, give yourself the time to do it, and don't rush you can probably do a decent job yourself. If you want a truly custom install then at least make sure the guy doing it understands what he is doing and why he is doing it.

 

[fee]

Holy cow batman, I need to move to CA and open an install shop. It's not the price (well it is) but the fact that people would pay that.... WOW...
You guys would be surprised at how many shops tell me they install jammers when I ask at Trade shows, then I ask "what type of gun do you test your install with?". Only one has told me they have a gun.... So how do the rest know they installed it properly and it works???
Qualify your installer, ask about testing, previous installs, even a few key questions about the install you can learn here. Remember you only need to know one more thing then the other guy to be an expert.

As said above the install really is not that difficult in most cases, if you do a little reading, give yourself the time to do it, and don't rush you can probably do a decent job yourself. If you want a truly custom install then at least make sure the guy doing it understands what he is doing and why he is doing it.

You'll also have to pay 5x as much for rent at the install shop, 2x as much for food, 5x as much for housing, 5x as much for speeding tickets, an extra 25% for gas, state income taxes, sales tax on everything you purchase online (which is 7.5% minimum, but is usually more like 9%), tax on bags at grocery stores, more for car insurance....it goes on and on and on. Everything is more expensive in California - you can't compare it to Central Florida.

 

[OpenRoad]

First off welcome to the forum. Second, installation really is not that hard. If you ever installed a car stereo as a kid you can do this. Even if you haven't you can learn, just spend some time in the show off your install section and ask questions. Unless your in a hurry and have money to burn.

You definitely need the right tools. Harbor Freight is your friend, get the plastic trim tools from there, work great. A lot of youtube videos showing how to remove certain things from the inside of the car without f_cking it up like breaking clips and such.

 

[Chrislorl]

You'll also have to pay 5x as much for rent at the install shop, 2x as much for food, 5x as much for housing, 5x as much for speeding tickets, an extra 25% for gas, state income taxes, sales tax on everything you purchase online (which is 7.5% minimum, but is usually more like 9%), tax on bags at grocery stores, more for car insurance....it goes on and on and on. Everything is more expensive in California - you can't compare it to Central Florida.

I guess that's why the state is bankrupt and they call it the left coast
Actually I worked in Maywood just outside LA city limits for several years. Had a place in Huntington beach, and often still travel to LA for work. I miss early morning horseback riding in Griffith Park. Some of my customers are west coast install shops and honestly, no matter what, those prices are crazy. But I give them respect, if people will pay it... Build it.
I could see $500.00 - $700.00 at 100 per hour, maybe 120.. But several grand, come on people..... Then again I carry a large capacity clip in my gun, it's just never gonna work....

 

[Th3 Factory Freak]

Holy cow batman, I need to move to CA and open an install shop.

You may want to reconsider that after you see how much State taxes we pay here and what small businesses go through here.

Open up a shot in Tahoe on the Nevada side.

---------- Post added at 11:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 AM ----------

Each car is different, most importantly, plan well and have all the tools and materials before you start.

I have a friend who is currently installing my 3rd kit. It takes time and a lot of custom work.

 

[fee]

You may want to reconsider that after you see how much State taxes we pay here and what small businesses go through here.

Open up a shot in Tahoe on the Nevada side.

---------- Post added at 11:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 AM ----------

Each car is different, most importantly, plan well and have all the tools and materials before you start.

I have a friend who is currently installing my 3rd kit. It takes time and a lot of custom work.

Right. Enjoy the extra $800 FTB fee every year for any company in California. I think it's like $100 to create an LLC in Florida, compared to $800 every year here.

 

[OpenRoad]

I got him hooked up with someone who is not going to bilk his bank account.

 

[TheKeyserSoze]

La Jolla Audio is a really awesome shop